Vinyl Asylum: RE: Current Mono LPs by Ross Welcome Licorice Pizza (LP) lovers! Setup guides and Vinyl FAQ.

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Posted by Ross (A ) on November 17, 2021 at 18:31:52

In Reply to: Great information posted by M3 lover on November 17, 2021 at 13:25:59:

Current mono LPs are cut using a stereo cutting head, .7mil groove width, and a mono signal.

Mono cutting heads did survive, and I believe one was used by Classic Records (I think...may have been another reissue label) to create mono reissue LPs that were as close as possible to original mono pressings. They recreated the groove width and shape of vintage mono LPs.

Many listeners prefer to use a modern stylus profile to play vintage mono LPs. The theory is that a modern profile reads a portion of the groove that is relatively unplayed. Modern profiles can read deeper into a groove than a vintage 1mil conical stylus. Something to think about.

I draw the line at about 1960. My opinion is that stereo caused labels to purchase new cutter heads, and a stereo head can also be used to cut a mono LP, so why maintain 2 cutter heads ? By the early-mid 60's it would have been a coin toss as to whether or not your mono LP has a .7mil (stereo width) groove, or a 1mil mono groove. I chose 1960 as the dividing line, and prefer to be safe rather than sorry.

I have a few hundred vintage mono LPs, mostly Jazz.

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